Have you used PVC pipes for glass storage?
 

What length did you cut your pipes? Do you wish you had cut them longer or shorter and why? What do you like about the length you chose?

Did you cut the ends of your pipes straight or at an angle? Do you wish you had cut them at a different angle and why? What do you like about the angle you chose?

I am in the process of setting up my first studio and just received 48 feet of 2" PVC pipe on Friday. Thank you in advance for your responses, I appreciate how helpful you all have been on this site.

I love my PVC storage system. Straight cuts, 12 inches long. I can bring the shorter rods forward to stick out a bit while still being able to handle the occasional 13 incher. Couldn't be much happier. I use the large diameters for the go-tos like black, ivory, etc and slightly narrower for all of the rest of the individual colors, and maintain a modest inventory in drawers in the basement for replenishment when I run low on any one color.

I use fence rail but I do wish I had staggered them in length and cut on an angle to make it easier to access the glass. Small things though...I love the system even as it is.

12", straight cut - I like the rods to stick out a tiny bit. It makes them easier to grab and keeps them from sliding back too far. Plus, it'll give you an even number of pieces out of a long tube. I've never thought to do an angled cut, but it's not a bad idea. I mostly use fence rail, but I ran out and got some PVC, because the fence company where I'd gotten scrap went out of business.

11 7/8" (just to be difficult) :lol: no it factors in the width of the blade so you don't end up with one that is an inch short
PVC pipe and gutter down spout

I cut mine at 15" so it could be contained by the side poles of mt 14" steel shelving. But I replaced it all with fence railing and it doubled my storage. The round shape of the pipe wasted a lot of space.

You can use the little spaces between them for rods and stringer too, though.

I can see that as a possibility.

I use 48" with end caps. Spiders love tubing. Also minimizes dust.

25cm long (cut down from 2m) at a 45 degree angle. That's for Effetre-type rod lengths. The angle makes it a bit easier to see the colour. Sticking out a little at the front and back. I have each layer of tubes held together with packing tape so I can move one at a time if necessary, rather than having a whole block glued together. (It's free-standing).

My boro's currently in bigger longer cardboard tubes in a deep bookshelf.

If anyone in VA wants some, during the de-stash I ended up with a TON of cut 12" PVC that's not holding glass anymore. I probably have over 50-they fit nicely stacked in mail crates, but it would be ridiculous $$ to ship them to you.

I used fence rails; I'm not sure what length. Not very helpful, but maybe this is -

I cut mine with a miter saw and I had little shavings of plastic ALL OVER my garage. I expect PVC pipe may do the same thing.

So, plan ahead on _where_ you cut the pipe before you do it.

-BEP

Yes, the fence rail and the pipe both shed a lot of shavings that are full of static. I wear a mask, do it out on my deck, on a table saw. I have a dedicated blade, as there is also melted PVC from the friction of cutting. I have used the same blade for a long time though - doesn't seem to be dulling it much.

I use vinyl fencing which gives me 3 sections per cut. Then I stack and glue into cubes. Love it! 12" lengths.

Home Depot cut my rails, so the mess was almost all in their store. However, when I brought them into the studio, the shreds were everywhere! Then took them all outside and power washed...a big pia.............

A spray bottle with straight water or a smidgen of vinegar can cut the static cling of the mess of cutting the PVC.


I cut my fence rail at something close to 9 inches. It made the math work out when I included the width of the cutting blade.

I stacked mine about 2 inches out from the wall to let the longer rods poke out the back a bit.

There is a hand operated cutter for PVC pipe that may be worth the $$ but it only does the straight cuts and you may need some metal pipes to extend the handles to get better leverage.

I knew all that writing on the pipe would make me crazy, so I just finished sanding it all off. I wasn't sure which grit to use, seeing that I was so low on my 220, and have a lot of 320, decided on the 320. Not so bad of a job with the palm sander.

My miter saw is sitting in a 40 foot storage container on the property here; time to find a place to set it up, I really do like to cut things with it :smile: Do you spray the vinegar/water on the PVC before you cut it?

They have liquid that takes everything off PVC pipes. Heck you can even get a little gluing action going if you are not careful with the stuff.


As for the water, that comes in after the cutting is done although you can knock most of the fluff out of the air with a very fine mist.

The better thing is a really good shop vac hooked up to the right places on the saws.

And then use a damp rag to clean up after the cutting is done. Lightly wetting the granules will take the charge off them so they stop clinging to everything.

seems dryer sheets may help for the static too, or that spray...whatever it's called? But I love that the writing drove you crazy so you sanded them :lol:

A few more tips for you: :smile:

I also use my printer to make labels for the glass when it comes in, I sit at the dining table so I can watch Tv while labeling every rod. I enjoy looking at my new glass and when I attach a label to the end of the rod I tape it on so that the clear scotch tape overlaps.

Rubber bands disintegrate out in my studio in the hot summers we have here so I don't use them. Loose rods tend to get shuffled around so just labeling the bundle on one rod doesn't work for me either. Plus I stock at least three coes so it is important that I label everything.

When I use only some of a rod it does not fit back into the PVC storage, it can get shoved back in there and then getting it out is not fun. So all of my used rods go somewhere else like into a long tray or into my upright shorts storage containers, see my old "horse Trailer thread" in studio sub forum for lots of pics.

No matter how small my rod gets or which glass pile it ends up in I know exactly what COE it is, which brand, what color and what date I purchased it on. These important details are all typed into the computer and then printed onto the labels. The date is especially important for matching color lots just like dye lots with yarn. There are so many odd lots out there now and trying to match them when the need arises can be a real pain unless you are diligent with labeling.

Hope this helps...

I am not so good about labeling.

My method has turned out to be labeling two rods, leaving one in the cubby hole and using the other until it gets to small and then welding the short bit on to the end of a fresh rod form that cubby hole.

Oh and Perfect Deb has a spreadsheet program called Stash Master that keeps track of your inventory. The link for it is a little Wizard figure in her signature line I think. Just do a search for Stash Master and it should point you right to it and the thread that talks about it.

While we are doing glass storage tips, I use the covered-hair scrunchies to keep large amounts of a color together. It alleviates the problem Lorraine mentioned. Don't forget if you use 96 glass you may want to cut your fence/pvc a little longer due to the longer length rods.

Great idea..hair scrunchies. #-o

I love the hair scrunchies idea, plan to use that. I thought I would just use the COE 104 glass, would like to keep things simple, hah, when have I ever been known to do that? What do you use all the different COE's for?

I only use 104 and 96. If you are new (or if newbies are reading), please remember you can't mix coes. I started with 96 because I was fusing glass before I made beads, but now I like both for different things. 96 is slightly stiffer so is great for doing sculptural items. Both have amazing color selection. You can never have too much glass!

I think it is a matter of getting some colors and some shades, hues and other characteristics from one manufacturer that just can not be found from other manufactures and some makers don't make any glass in more than one coe type.

And of course the working characteristics of the hard glass types allow you to do things that you just cant do the softer glasses.

I do this, and I love it. I also use those small spaces for the inevitable "must have" new color for which I don't have an open PVC "slot" available. If only they would stop coming out with luscious new colors and give me the chance to use up the hundreds of colors I already have!:oops:

I got a nice metal unit like this, works perfect for my glass, and has a good resale value if I decide to change up my studio: http://www.amazon.com/Durham-363-95-...D4EAHEPC8HE4V7